Free To Love & To Protect by Deborah R. Brandon Page A

said.
    Jasmine smiled, as the color flushed into her sisters cheeks. “Hmm,” Jasmine asked, “Anything that you want to tell me?”
    “Jasmine,” Renee uttered on a sigh. “I am using him for comfort sex,” Renee admitted then dropped her face into her hands.
    Jasmine looked at Donna with her mouth opened and shaped into a large O. She burst into a fit of laughter at her sisters words.
    “Girl you are grown, and I am pretty sure that you both are enjoying each other’s company. I thought you two had something going on once before…” Jasmine trailed off then she said, “…you know.”
    “No, Antonio has always been a good family friend. He always has shared his abundance with us,” Renee said. “I am pretty sure that its pity sex,” Renee said.
    “I would like some pity sex,” Jasmine said with a bubble of laughter. Not with Antonio,” to be clear, Jasmine added.
    Donna was finishing, her new bandages and added, “Me too.”
    The ladies burst into laughter.
    Nicole knocked on the door and entered when she was told to come in. She had a beautiful yellow strapless dress slung over one arm and beauty supplies in the other. “I am here to get this young lady dressed for dinner, so I suggest that you two run along and do the same,” Nicole said. Nicole gave Jasmine privacy to get dressed, and then returned in a few minutes.
    “Thank you Nicole, this dress is beautiful, fits me well and enhances my skin tone,” Jasmine said happily.
    “Oh I knew that it was prefect for you when I saw it. It is both sexy and conservative, the way you like them,” Nicole responded.
    Jasmine smiled at her teasing.
    Sit down while I work some magic on this hair. Nicole oiled and moisturizer Jasmine’s hair and scalp. Then went to work with her flat iron and curling iron. Her black hair with natural red highlights fall down across her shoulders and down her back in an exotic array of curls. Jasmine used a facial cleansing wipe. She applied a caramel foundation to even out her skin tone, one of her favorite lipsticks called Earth, and a light brown eye shadow that had gold flakes in it, and black mascara and eyeliner.
    The woman that was staring back at her looked like she had it all together; she longed to be that woman.
    “Thank you so much for all that you are doing,” Jasmine said as she added accessories that Nicole was reaching to her. 
    “Girl, I love you,” Nicole said. “We are going to make it through this. You are not alone. You don’t have to be strong all the time. Allow yourself to break and put yourself back together better than you were before. Learn from every situation. As long as you learn something then the experience itself wasn’t a total waste,” Nicole encouraged.
    Jasmine just nodded in agreement. “Are my girls dressed and ready for dinner?” Jasmine asked.
    “I helped Eleanor with them before coming over here. So they should be good,” Nicole answered. “Jasmine?” Nicole said her name as a question.
    Jasmine turned to face Nicole, “Yes Nicole?” Jasmine asked with one raised eyebrow.
    “Why Ethan can’t keep his clothes on around you, girl,” Nicole asked teasingly.
    “Oh my God, I was mortified when he walked into the room earlier, looking sexier than any man has the right too. His dirty blonde hair, curled from sweating, his muscular chest with that light dusting of curly hair across his upper torso. It was all I could do to keep from fainting. Then to add to it, he cleaned up my vomit. He probably sees me as a super needy princess,” Jasmine finished as she made her way to the door.
    I don’t think so, honey,” Nicole said as she followed behind Jasmine.

 
    Chapter 16
    They walked to the main house with Kimberly who was dressed in a lightweight slip dress. The main house was a two story mansion. The second level held a huge wrap around balcony with some of the most beautiful green lush trees, dripping with Spanish moss. Tonight the balcony had several linen covered